Ski areas limiting access to terrain

Wait, what?
There's a ski touring badge?

You don't have one???? Shit man... you'd better get with the program.

Occam's razor people.....

You don't have one???? Shit man... you'd better get with the program.

Well crap.
I didn't get the memo/fax/email/tweet/snapchat on this shit.
Where does one get said badge?
Do i have to take a class?
Is there a test?
Did they hand it out after the level 1 and I missed?
Does it come with perks?

I do not dispute that there are reasons to close a run for grooming, construction, or avi control.  However, much of what ski areas do is gobble up land so they can expand.  Be that expansion.... new runs, boutique fur shops, or condo cities.  To say that safety is the only reason this land grabbing takes place is to ignore the facts on the ground, not to mention the extensive history of human greed.  

I am not saying that all ski areas are acting on greed for land when they institute safety restrictions.  For example, Crystal sounds like they are doing the right thing.  However, many others (Bachelor for example) have used this tactic to simple throw the bums off of "THEIR MOUNTAIN". Bachelor used the avi safety argument to institute hill closures.   But they carried it WAY BEYOND that reasonable goal to include the entire mountain the entire year.  Now they got a new hill manager and those restrictions were removed.  Safety considerations did not change, just public access to public property, made possible by public roads paid for by.... you guessed it.... the public.

I don't have an argument with closing a ski run undergoing aiv work!  I support prosecuting people who are to dumb to respect their own peril... Duhhh!

I have an argument with people making blanket statements that ski area management is only looking out for public safety when they institute arbitrary, unilateral restrictions with no bearing on public safety.  Plain and simple, it is a land grab designed to make people pay more money.  Once in place, it is difficult to change! "YOU WANT TO CLIMB MY MOUNTAIN, YOU HAVE TO PAY ME TO DO SO, REGARDLESS OF WEATHER I PROVIDE YOU WITH ANY SERVICE OR NOT". 

Well crap.
I didn't get the memo/fax/email/tweet/snapchat on this shit.
Where does one get said badge?
Do i have to take a class?
Is there a test?
Did they hand it out after the level 1 and I missed?
Does it come with perks?

www.mountaineers.org/membership/badges/c...ountry-skiing-course